A Day For The Boys
by RicardianScholar Clark-Weasley
Summary: Sequel to Princess Day. It's now the boys turn for a holiday dedicated to them and while the likes of Kim and Nathaniel are out for revenge, Chat Noir only wants a day filled with Marinette's company and cooking.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** This is a sequel to Princess Day, so you need to read that first before you read this one.

It had been pointed out by some critics that Princess Day was incredibly unfair to half of the population of Paris. Since the day had been a fantastic success for businesses and many were looking forwards to another opportunity like Princess Day, the Mayor soon announced a day aimed especially for the boys.

He called it Little Soldier Day.

It was universally agreed that it was a totally naff name but that didn't change the fact that once again the schools were being closed down on a Friday in order to celebrate the existence of the male gender which meant…

" _Revenge_!" Kim declared passionately. "This Friday it will be you, Alix Kubdel, who will give me piggyback rides and foot massages."

"Meh," Alix shrugged, "whatever. I'll probably do a better job than you did."

Kim spluttered indignantly at that.

Not that anyone else noticed as they were all busy making their own plans. Juleka and Rose were arranging to meet Max up, Ivan and Mylene were whispering and smiling amongst themselves, and Nino leaned back as far as her could on his chair without toppling over in order to give Alya a cheeky grin.

"I hope you're not stuck on babysitting duty again this Friday," he said, "because you owe me _big._ "

"This isn't fair at all!" Alya huffed. "I didn't even get to enjoy Princess Day because I was so busy catering to my sisters' every whim and now I have to cater to yours?"

"Fair is fair, babe," Nino shrugged, "I allowed your little sisters torture me on your behalf now you have to go all the music shops in Paris with me, and that's just the beginning."

Alya groaned but Marinette could see the small smile on her face and knew she wasn't truly bothered about it all.

(Yet. As soon as there was an Akuma attack and Nino refuses to let Alya go film it because it's his day though? Oh Marinette was sure there will be fireworks.)

"It's not going to be as good as Princess Day," Chloe's loud, obnoxious voice could be heard throughout the classroom, "but what can you expect? It's just a cheap knock off idea that the city stole from _moi_!" Chloe bragged.

"Didn't Chloe get the idea from Pokémon?" Nino whispered loudly. "It wasn't exactly a stroke of originality and brilliance from her either."

"I will be doing my bit, of course," Chloe carried on, "after all my Adri-kins needs someone who knows him to serve his every nee….where the hell is Adrien!" Chloe shrieked furiously as she noticed belatedly that Adrien's seat was once again empty.

"Meh," Nino shrugged, "Bathroom?" he guessed. "Dude has some serious bladder issues."

(Adrien had, as soon as it clicked that Chloe and an army of rabid fangirls would be after him in order to 'serve' him, dashed out of the classroom and immediately transformed into Chat Noir for his own safety….again. Sadly though the school was so used to being attacked by Akumas that no one battered an eyelid to Chat Noir suddenly racing through the corridors.)

" _Hmmph_!" Chloe huffed. "Well if I can't serve Adrien then there's no point whatsoever. I guess it's just a day for me." At this Nathaniel stood up abruptly and move towards Chloe. Not that the blonde noticed as she pulled out her compact mirror to examine her reflection. " _Sabrina!_ " she barked suddenly. "Book us in at the hotel spa for a manicure, pedicure, facial, massages, and a mud bath. Friday is going to be all about us."

Sabrina lit up at that. "Yes Chloe," she said obediently as she scrambled for her mobile phone.

" _Hem, hem_ ," Nathaniel coughed pointedly, "are you forgetting _something_ , Chloe?" Chloe looked at him disgustedly as if he was a little bug to be scraped off of her shoe. Her silence spoke volumes as she obviously expected Nathaniel to go back to his chair without an answer. "You made me your slave on Princess Day, you _owe_ me," Nathaniel growled out with barely suppressed fury, "and now it's time that you made it up to me."

" _Ha_!" Chloe barked out. "I'm the Mayor's daughter," she said superiorly, "I don't serve anyone. Least of all some pathetic artist with ideas of grandeur. Ask your precious _Marinette_ ," she spat out Marinette's name with the utmost disgust and shot a murderous glare in Marinette's direction to go with it. She had still not forgiven Marinette for taking what she believed to be her crown and victory at the Queen of the Princesses competition. Nor that Marinette needed her forgiveness whatsoever. "I'm sure she'll hold your hand and tell you that you're pretty, she has nothing better to do anyway. No one else wants _her_ ," she sneered at Marinette who glowered back.

"You know what," Marinette said furiously, "I would spend the day with Nathaniel and because I actually _want_ to. Nathaniel is a great guy and he deserves to have an amazing day which I know you would never be able to give him because you're a selfish, spoilt, brat who thinks she's entitled to the-"

"It's okay Marinette," Nathaniel interrupted quietly but firmly. His eyes were still fixated onto Chloe and therefore he didn't look back to see Marinette's questioning look. "You spend your day with…. _your friend_ ," he said a little uneasy and Marinette flushed instantly. When it was said like _that_ , it didn't sound like Chat Noir was her friend at all but something much more and that embarrassed her a great deal considering how often she had rejected Chat as Ladybug. "Chloe will spend the day with me," Chloe laughed at that derisively but for once didn't bother to comment, "I will ensure it."

"Bring it on," Chloe sneered, "but the day I do whatever you wish is a day that will only exist in your dreams, Loser."

Marinette would have intervened again but that was when the teacher finally remembered there was a class to teach and immediately walked in ready to start. Instead Marinette settled for a fierce glare in Chloe's direction while Nathaniel returned to his seat with a determined look in his eyes.

One way or another, he was going to have his own revenge.

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Chat Noir landed on Marinette's balcony with ease that very evening with one intention in mind. To secure the company of his Princess on Little Solider Day. The girl in question was sitting at her desk most likely trying to do their homework when he knocked on her trap door. She scrambled immediately to get it open and let him in.

"Chat Noir!" she exclaimed. " _What are you doing here_?!"

"You said I could come anytime," he reminded her, "remember?"

"Yes, of course," Marinette said hastily as she suddenly avoided his eyes and blushed a deep pink, "I just meant purpose what your." There is a beat of silence as Marinette's eyes widened in horror and a look of mortification overcame her. "I-I-I-I m-m-mean your purpose what. No! Ah! I, erm, meant to say…Guh…. _why did you come to visit_?!" she blurted out.

And then she promptly slumped in relief.

Chat tried not to be disheartened by the return of Marinette's speech impediment. There was always an endearing quality to her stuttering and fumbling of words but it always hurt that she could never speak to Adrien properly and now, for some reason, it took her longer to speak to Chat Noir properly too. Simultaneously, while she wasn't focused on the battle, Ladybug was equally flustered round him these days and Chat was beginning to wonder whether or not he had done something to upset the two most important women in his life.

He instead of confronting this and receiving an answer he was most likely going to hate, Chat Noir decided to ignore it and just answer the question instead.

"I have come to collect my debt," he informed Marinette grandly, "I believe you owe me a day of your time in return of my gallant and chivalric actions on Princess Day."

"Hmm…it's not exactly _gallant_ and _chivalric_ to expect payment though, is it Kitty?" Marinette asked snarkily. Chat Noir smirked in reply while his heart felt a fierce leap of joy that Marinette had returned to her usual sassy self. "Besides," Marinette said suddenly self-conscious again, "wouldn't you rather spend the day with Ladybug? It is your day after all. I'm sure she wouldn't say no."

"I believe Ladybug has her own debts to pay," he said in a mock sorrowful voice, "some bumbling fool that likely dropped her shopping and stepped on her toes will be honoured with her presence." Marinette smothered a laugh behind her hand but he grinned when he caught the amusement sparkling in her eyes. His jealousy over whoever it was that he could not surpass melted away as his breath caught slightly in his throat. "Besides," he said softly, "I would much rather spend the day with _you_."

They had so little time together whether he was Adrien or Chat Noir. He wanted another day with her where they could talk, and have fun, and laugh.

Marinette beamed as her cheeks turned a pleased pink. "Very well," she said, "it is only fair that I pay my debts to my bumbling fool."

"No, no, no Princess!" Chat shook his head rapidly. "You got it all muddled up. _Ladybug_ has to deal with the bumbling fool. You get to spend the day with your knight in shining leather."

"I see no knight," Marinette teased, "only a fumbling squire with grand delusions."

" _Meow_ -ch!" Chat purred. "That hurt, right here," he thumped his chest, "I may never recover!" he added melodramatically.

"Poor kitty," Marinette said with mock solemnness, "how shall I ever make amends?"

"Some of your parents' eclairs wouldn't go amiss," Chat said slyly, "and some cookies, and perhaps even a slice of quiche?"

"Shall I just arrange a feast in your honour?"

"Sounds _purr_ -fect to me, Princess."

Marinette eyed him curiously. "Do you not want more for your day?" she asked.

"All I want on Friday," Chat Noir said with the utmost sincerity, "is your company and your cooking….and perhaps some video games and anime wouldn't go amiss either."

Marinette smiled softly. "I think we can manage that," she murmured.

He beamed happily at that. " _Paw_ some!" Marinette groaned at the pun but before Chat Noir could say anything else, his Miraculous let out its first warning beep. "I'm afraid it's time to go," he said sadly, "I'll see you on Friday."

"Friday," Marinette agreed happily.

He took her hand and pressed a gentle kiss on her knuckles and shot her one last, infamous, smirk. " _Adieu_ Princess," he purred out.

"B-bye Chat!"

That very night Adrien went to sleep with the biggest smile on his face, much to Plagg's disgust, and very much looking forwards to Friday.

This whole Little Soldier Day might just be the best idea Chloe's Dad ever had.

(The name was still naff though.)


	2. Chapter 2

There was probably at least a hundred fan girls outside of the Agreste Mansion.

It was Little Soldier Day (which, if you ask Nathalie, was a ridiculous name) and dozens of teenage girls who apparently had nothing better to do had decided to camp outside of the Agreste Mansion in hopes of being able to offer themselves up to Adrien. Nathalie has never been gladder that her boss had such a high security system before now. Something had to keep the crazy ones out.

"Nathalie," Gabriel said coolly, "why exactly is there a gaggle of screaming teenage girls outside of my home?"

"I believe Sir," Nathalie replied with equal coolness, "that they have all decided to attempt to serve Adrien for Little Soldier Day."

"What foolishness," Gabriel muttered, "I cannot believe that no one had mentioned this silly holiday to me before. We could have used it to our advantage."

Nathalie remained stoic at that while inwardly she gloried the fact that she had been successful in keeping this awful holiday a secret from Gabriel Agreste. She had deleted every email, diverted every call, and ensured any mention of it could not reach his ears. She had no doubt if he had been aware of the holiday he would have marketed his son off in some ridiculous contest in order to get more publicity. There was no way she was putting Adrien through that not with all the other things she had to inflict upon him. The boy was getting his much deserved day off, away from stupid, crazy fangirls and his father's high expectations. It might be boring being locked up in his room all day but it was better than being mauled by a fangirl that his father actually _let in_.

So quietly she gave herself an imaginary well done pat on the back.

"Nathalie," Gabriel spoke up again, "these girls are being a nuisance. Make sure they leave…. _now._ "

"Yes Sir," Nathalie said obediently. She then happily made her way to the control panel of the security system down in the foyer where Adrien's bodyguard (who unfortunately she could not remember the name of because Adrien's constant use of 'The Gorilla' had wormed its way into her head) was enjoying a cup of coffee. She eyed the CCTV screen in disdain as she noticed that Gabriel's system had little use as some girls already managed to climb over the walls. "Honestly," she muttered, "Don't these girls have anything better to do with their Friday?"

The Gorilla grunted.

Nathalie huffed as she slammed the intercom button down as hard as she could. "You have the count of three to leave these premises," she informed the girls stiffly, "or you shall have to face dire consequences. One…" none of the girls that actually made it onto the estate moved though she suspected some of the less stupid ones by the gate had already left. "…Two…" a few more girls left hastily from the street while some of the other girls shifted nervously. "….three."

Nathalie happily pressed the button for the sprinklers and smiled in satisfaction as she heard girls shriek and saw them flee the premises. "I shall have to call the police for the stragglers," she sighed, " _honestly_!" she muttered. "Its times like this that I wish Mr Agreste would just give into the billionaire evil villain cliché and purchase some dogs. I would quite like to _release the hounds_ on girls like these. It would be a perk of the job that I would enjoy a lot more than my Christmas bonus."

The Gorilla's lips twitched in amusement.

Nathalie allowed herself a moment to enjoy the newfound peace and quiet before she carried on her usual duties.

(Meanwhile Chat Noir used the screaming girls who were running frantically away from his home – _thank God_! – has the perfect cover and had now successfully escaped the house into freedom as he cheerfully headed towards Marinette's home.)

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Chloe had enjoyed a lovely long lay in before she had breakfast served to her in bed and then got out for a long soak in her solid gold bath tub. She had only just finished putting herself together – make-up, hair, the perfect outfit – when she was summoned to her father's office. She wandered in lazily, half expecting a new designer handbag or a pass to a luxury spa for her and Sabrina, when her eyes landed on a familiar, scruffy, red-headed artist.

" _You!_ " she cried out as she pointed a perfectly manicured finger at the intruder. "What are you doing here in my Daddy's office?!" she demanded to know.

"Now Pumpkin," her father said chidingly, "that's now how we greet our guests."

Chloe scowled. "He's not a _guest_!" she hissed furiously. "He's an unwanted intrusion."

Nathaniel gazed back at her with an unnerving cool gaze that made her twitch slightly. She wasn't going to be sorry for telling the truth. She hadn't invited him and she certainly didn't want him around.

"Sweetheart!" her father cried out. "What a thing to say! Especially to the boy who took such good care of you on Princess Day." Chloe shrugged it off with a flip of her hair and defiant glare. She wasn't going to be grateful for something that everyone should be doing to begin with nor was she going to be shamed into good behaviour. "And now it's Little Soldier Day," her father carried on, "and you must return the favour."

"WHAT?!" Chloe screeched indignantly. "But I'm the Mayor's daughter!" she protested. " _Your daughter_!" she stressed. "I can't be seen serving someone like a lowly peasant!"

"You're _my_ daughter," her father agreed, "which means you must be seen caring for the people. This strapping, fine, young man reminded me what good publicity this day will bring us and it's time you did your part and brought in some good press to my office."

Chloe spluttered at that. She was good looking, well dressed, and utterly perfect, wasn't that enough for good press? Why did she have to do _**more**_? "But _Daddy_!" she whined.

"No buts!" her father said sternly. "You will do this Chloe or I will have to ground you which means no Sabrina, no mobile phone, no spa treatments, and _no more shopping_!"

Chloe gasped dramatically as she felt her world shattering. " _Daddy_!" she wailed pitifully. "How do you know that he won't take advantage of me?" she asked desperately looking for something, anything, to get out of this. "That he won't make me kiss him or _something_ ," she whispered melodramatically.

"Nonsense," her father replied briskly, "Nathaniel has assured me that he has nothing but the most honourable intentions towards you. You will accompany him to the park, spend a lovely day enjoying the sun, get yourself photographed serving this young man a juice or something, and then be back in time for tea. Nothing will happen to you Angel. I wouldn't allow it." Chloe opened her mouth to argue but her father suddenly wrapped an arm round her shoulder and another round Nathaniel's and began to herd them out of his office. "Now, go, go," he said cheerfully, "it's a beautiful day out there. You don't want to be stuck inside like me with all the paperwork."

"But-"

"Be good, Chloe," her father kissed her cheek, "love you, bye!"

And with that, Chloe's father slammed the door in her face.

She would have banged her fists against the door, shout and scream, maybe even kick it, but she so was fucking cross that she could barely make her mouth move let alone actually say something.

How could he? _How could he?!_ How could her father just throw her to the lions like that?

She was his _daughter!_

"Come on," Nathaniel said gently as he squeezed her shoulder, "let's go to the park."

Chloe furiously shrugged off his hand and shot him a murderous look. " _Don't touch me_!" she hissed. "This is all your fault!"

"Actually," Nathaniel said coolly, "this is _your_ fault. None of this would have happened if you didn't come up with Princess Day." Chloe gaped at him as she struggled to think of an argument. "You reap what you sow," Nathaniel said self-righteously as he began to walk down the corridor, "You treat people like your slaves? Expect the same treatment back," he turned and raised an eyebrow, "are you coming then or what?" he asked pointedly.

Chloe let out ferocious growl before she stomped down the corridor after him. She fumed furiously the entire journey out of the hotel and into the park.

Life was incredibly unfair to her.

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Marinette was straightening up the living room (not that it needed much work as her mother kept it spotless) when she heard a light tap against the window. She turned round to see Chat Noir balancing on his baton against the window with a great big Cheshire cat grin and rolled her eyes before she hurriedly opened the window to let him in.

"You know, Kitty," she said, "You are allowed to just walk in through the front door. Mum and Dad do know you're coming over."

"But where's the fun in that?" Chat pouted. Marinette rolled her eyes again and Chat Noir's face lit up completely as he took in the spread laid out on the coffee table. "Is that all for me?" he asked in wonder.

Marinette and her parents spent the last couple days making enough food to feed an army. There was cakes, croissants, sandwiches, a large quiche, and a selection of fruit neatly cut into fun shapes ("because you both should have something healthy!" her mother said firmly as she sliced the pineapple up into little stars). All the hard work and effort had most definitely been worth it to see such a happy, sweet, smile on Chat Noir's face.

"Well," Marinette beamed, "for me too. I don't think just one person can eat all of that, Kitty."

"I'd give it my best shot," Chat said, "it looks _amazing!_ Thank you!"

"You should thank my parents too," Marinette said awkwardly, "they did most of the work. I just sort of helped."

"I shall," Chat promised.

Silence descended upon them as his luminous green eyes met hers and suddenly Marinette found it hard to breathe as she was taken in by just how beautiful his eyes were. Her cheeks burned with embarrassment as one glance turned into a staring contest. Neither of them seemed willing to tear their eyes away from one another. Marinette was sure that her parents _downstairs_ in the _busy bakery_ could hear her heart beating rapidly in her chest let alone Chat Noir.

"So…." Marinette coughed awkwardly. "What do you want to do first?"

Chat's face lit up with a mega-watt grin that most certainly did not cause Marinette's stomach to do somersaults. Nope. No way. Nu-huh. "I'm glad you asked, Princess," Chat purred out as he pulled out a game controller from God knows where. "I was hoping you'd let me beat you at a few rounds of Ultimate Mecha Strike Three."

"Why Kitty," Marinette fluttered her eyelashes coyly, "are you telling me that you can't beat me on your skill alone? That you have to make me throw the game in order to win?"

"I have you know," Chat informed her grandly, "that I could beat you with one hand tied behind my back."

"Bring it on."

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Nathaniel didn't quite know why he gave up the opportunity to spend the day with Marinette in order to spend it with _Chloe_ of all people.

There was a great deal of resentment and desire to make her pay for the torture he had been through on Princess Day. After all Chloe had her day. She had Sabrina. She had many other people she could compel to do her bidding. Why did she have to ruin his day and drag him everywhere instead? If he had to lose a day of his time for her, then she could lose a day of her time for him. It was _fair._

And then there was that vulnerable Chloe.

The big-eyed, tearful, girl who couldn't understand what she was doing wrong in life.

Her father so readily threw his daughter under a bus for good publicity. Nathaniel could be an axe-wielding murderer and the Mayor would have probably still forced Chloe to spend the day with him because it would have looked good in the newspapers.

Nathaniel had a strange urge to protect that girl.

Another reason, he ruefully realised, why he had given up on Marinette. He wanted to be a hero to someone and Marinette already had her own hero. And a real one with actual powers to boot. And it wasn't Nathaniel. Nathaniel had no doubt Chat Noir probably came to collect his debt from Marinette. If only to spend time with the girl he blatantly cared about as much, if not more, as Ladybug.

Nathaniel still had nightmares of the murderous glare Chat Noir had shot him across the shop on Princess Day. It gave him the shivers just thinking about it.

"Well?" Chloe barked impatiently.

She had her arms crossed, one hip cocked upwards as she tapped her foot furiously, and her bottom lip was jutted out in an irritated pout. She was the very definition of self-entitlement and impatience.

"Well what?" Nathaniel asked.

"Well, _go on then_!" Chloe huffed. "Do whatever silly revenge you wanted. Make me crawl on my knees and beg. Make me eat dog food or put my hand in something disgusting or wait on you hand and foot in some stupid costume. Make me do _something_!"

Nathaniel stared at her, stunned. "I'm not going to make you do any of those things!" he cried out horrified. " _What sort of person do you take me for_?!"

"Err, the same as everyone else," Chloe said as if he was a moron for asking such a question, "I don't think there's a single person out there who wouldn't make someone do those things if they had a chance, and here's your chance."

"Your view of the world is a cold one," Nathaniel murmured, "it's no wonder you find it hard to be kind."

Chloe flushed bright pink at that. "Just get this stupid thing over and done with!" she hissed. "I want to get my nails done before the day is over."

Nathaniel rolled his eyes at that. "I want you to stand right….here," he guided her to the perfect spot away from the path by a tree but with enough sun to give him a decent light. Chloe let out a whine about mud on her shoes but he ignored her as he stepped back and nodded. "Put your arms out like this," he grabbed one arm and arched it over her head and then moved her other arm slightly lower so she looked as if she was holding something over her head. A large, invisible, vase perhaps? Chloe glowered at him. "Try to look serene," he advised her, "you don't want your face to end up stuck like that."

" _Why you little_ -"

"I want you to stay absolutely still," Nathaniel spoke over Chloe's insults in a loud voice, "you cannot move a single inch until I say otherwise. Got it?"

Chloe growled furiously and wordlessly.

"Do you understand?"

" _Yes!_ " Chloe spat out. The discomfort in holding her arms up awkwardly was already getting to her. Nathaniel's arms had killed him for days after carrying her shopping bags this was most certainly a fair payback if her arms hurt her for a few hours too. "I won't move a muscle."

"Excellent," Nathaniel smiled. He then sat down underneath the tree and pulled out his sketch book and some pencils. "This should only take a few hours and then you can go."

Chloe's eyes widened in horror as she realised that she would be standing still and in agony for several hours…

…Pigeons flew up in the air as her shriek of rage echoed throughout the park.


	3. Chapter 3

"VICTORY!"

For the fifth time that day Marinette dropped her controller and leaped onto her feet as she pumped her fists in the air to celebrate another win. Chat Noir, however dropped his in despair as he cradled his head in defeat.

" _Mercy_!" he croaked out. "Where did your mercy go, Princess?"

"What mercy?" Marinette snorted. "All is fair in love and war, remember?"

And what better way could you describe trying to beat Marinette at Ultimate Mecha Strike Three than calling it a war?

A war that Chat Noir was blatantly losing.

"I thought," He pouted childishly, "that you were going to go easy on me. Isn't this supposed to be _m_ y day?"

"But Kitty," Marinette said innocently, "whatever happened to being able to beat me with one hand tied behind your back?"

"I've changed my mind," Chat replied childishly, "I'd rather watch TV now."

"Aw poor Kitty," Marinette teased, "is that big, mean, Marinette not letting you have any fun?" Chat Noir had too much dignity to give her a reply instead he shot her a withering look that only made Marinette throw her head back and laugh. It was a lovely laugh that certainly did not make Chat's heart do a couple somersaults. "All right then," Marinette said more seriously after she finally stopped laughing at him (though her lips still twitched in amusement and her eyes were sparkling with mirth). "Let me put these away and we'll watch some TV. You want something to drink?"

"Yes please," Chat agreed just as his Miraculous let out a warning beep, "and some cheese as well, please. May I use your bathroom? I need to recharge."

Marinette nodded as she absentmindedly handed him one of her parents' freshly baked Cheese Danishes that was on the many platters before them. Chat Noir hastily took it with a hurried thanks and rushed into the bathroom just in time for Plagg to emerge from his ring.

" _Cheese_!" Plagg cried out ecstatically as he snatched the Cheese Danish and shoved it into his mouth. "So good!" he mumbled with his mouth full, spraying Adrien with crumbs. "Marry that girl or I will!" he ordered.

"Urgh! _Plagg!_ " Adrien groaned as he wiped his face. "Say it, don't spray it." He then flushed a bright pink Plagg's words caught up with him. " _And we're not like that_!"

"Whatever," Plagg shrugged, "more Cheese Danishes for me when I make the lovely Princess my bride. In fact," he said thoughtfully, "I shall ask her dowry to be paid to me in Cheese Danishes, cheesy bread, and whatever other lovely cheesy goods they can make."

Adrien spluttered at that. "Okay, first," he managed to choke out, "no one uses dowries anymore. This is the Western World in the twenty first century! And secondly you're not even the _same species_! I doubt-"

"Don't get your knickers in a twist, Kid," Plagg smirked, "there's no need to be jealous. It would only be a marriage of convenience to get the cheesy goods. And what does something as insignificant as different species mean when it comes to true love? My heart will always belong to cheese and I won't let something as silly as being different species-"

" _I'm not jealous_!" Adrien burst out. "And I can really live without another rant on the wonders of cheese and your deep, unnatural, love for it. Marinette is probably wondering what's taking so long. So if you can be so kind to transform m-"

"But I'm _always working_!" Plagg whined childishly. "I worked all day Princess Day so your blooming Princess can have her special day and now I'm working all day on a day dedicated to boys so you can have your special day. Where's _my_ special day dedicated to _me_? I bet Tiki got a break on Princess Day. So where's _mine_?!"

"The day after Princess Day when commandeered my bed and TV all day!" Adrien hissed. "And if that's what you're angling for now then _yes!_ Fine! Whatever! I shall treat you as the king you obviously think you are. Now _Transform M_ e!"

Plagg's eyes gleamed mischievously as a smirk flickered across his face before the ring dragged him back in. Chat Noir now had a sinking feeling that he had just been played by Plagg but if pampering the already spoilt and lazy Kwami was the price he had to pay for this perfect, relaxing, day with Marinette, then he would pay it a hundred times over.

He stepped out of the bathroom and made his way back into the living room to find that Marinette had poured out a glass of orange juice for him and was now currently flicking through the channels with a rather bored expression on her face.

Her face lit up with one of her radiant smiles when she saw him though.

It most certainly did not induce a flock of butterflies to flutter in his stomach.

Nope.

Definitely not.

"Here," Marinette offered the remote, "you pick something."

"This is all right," Chat smiled, "I don't usually get to watch rubbish daytime TV."

"You're not missing out of anything," Marinette shrugged, "so pick whatever you like. We can watch some anime if you like, but don't just stand there Kitty," Marinette ordered as she patted the sofa invitingly, "Sit down, get comfortable, it's _your_ day remember?"

"All right."

And with that Chat Noir flopped back onto the sofa and rested his head on Marinette's lap. He tried not to think about how soft and comfy her things felt beneath his head or how incredible she smelt or how really nice it would be to turn round and snuggled against her.

But it was really, really, _really_ hard not to think about it.

Marinette flushed her usual adorable pink blush. "W-w-what are you doing?" she stammered out.

"Getting comfortable like you said," Chat smirked as he wiggled about slightly to make himself more comfortable. "This is comfortable."

"O-o-o-Okay!"

There is a moment of silence as Marinette stared down at him with wide eyes and a huge blush staining her cheeks that momentarily steals his voice away. Then, shyly and hesitatingly, Marinette reached out and brushed her fingers against his cheek – he ignored the usual sparks that he now seemed to always feel whenever she touched him – before she combed them through is hair.

He sighed softly and leaned into her touch as she continued to pet his hair while they both turned their attention to the TV.

Marinette was completely right when she said he wasn't missing much. In fact, he had no idea what he was watching because all he could think about was how nice, and right, and wonderful, and utterly perfect this was to rest his head against Marinette's lap while she petted him.

If he was an actual cat he would purr but instead his stomach let out an embarrassingly enormous growl which caused him to turn round on his back.

" _Marinette!_ " he whined as childishly as Plagg had earlier. " _Feed me_!"

"W-w- _what_?!" Marinette stuttered as she flushed a deeper shade of pink. " _No_!" she snapped. "The food is right there and you're a grown boy! _Feed yourself_!"

"But Princess," he whined again, "it's _my_ day," he reminded her, "why should I make the effort?"

Marinette's eyes narrowed at that. "You're enjoying this way too much,"

" _Pleas_ e!" Chat pleaded with the biggest, widest, eyes he could make. "You had no problems feeding me on Princess Day, remember?" he added. "You fed me half of your ice cream sundae!"

Marinette's face was now bright red at this point. "That was different!" she protested weakly.

"How?"

"I-I-I-it just was, all right!" Marinette snapped defensively. "I had a spoon for a start and it was my day and I wanted to." She crossed her arms and Chat instantly mourned the loss of her fingers in his hair. "I don't want to now."

"But's _my_ day now," Chat pouted, "and _I do want_ you to feed me."

"Urgh!" Marinette groaned as she met his eyes. " _Fine_!" she caved as she threw her arms up in the air. "I'll feed you! Happy now?"

"Immensely," Chat smirked.

Marinette scowled in reply. "What do you want?" she asked.

"A croissant please!" Chat cried out gleefully. Marinette shifted beneath him as he reached over to take off the cling film wrapping off the platter and pick a croissant up. She then pressed the flaky pastry against his lips and Chat Noir happily opened his mouth up and took a big bite out of the deliciously light, buttery, pastry that must have been made by gods. " _Thank you_!" he said as sincerely as possible between bites.

Marinette was still a deep red as she averted her eyes from his. "You have crumbs all over your face," was all she said before she picked up another croissant and pressed it against his lips.

This, he decided happily, was _heaven_.

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Chloe was in hell.

Her arms ached, the warm summer day was beginning to make her sweat like a pig, and her legs were beginning to tremble beneath her for having stayed still for so long. It had only been a couple hours standing in the same position and Chloe felt like she had ran a marathon the entire time.

 _It was incredibly unfair!_

She was the _Mayor's daughter_! She should be relaxing in a spa somewhere as people massaged her feet and served her cold drinks and obeyed her every wish and whim. Sabrina should be by her side waving a fan over her or telling her how pretty she looked.

But now, Sabrina was spending the day with her Dad again, and Chloe was being forced into slavery to a boy in her class in order to make her own Dad look good in the public.

 _It was really, really, unfair!_

To make things worse there were now _people_ witnessing her pain and embarrassment.

Already a photographer from a local paper had taken her picture and to rub salt in the wound, some of her classmates were now getting a front row seat to her humiliation.

She groaned loudly as Max, Rose, and Juleka approached her and Nathaniel with bright, cheerful, smiles that definitely took a smug turn when they saw her suffering.

It could be worse though, Chloe barely conceded even to herself, it could be _Marinette and Alya_ that witnessed this.

"Hi Nathaniel!" Max, Juleka, and Rose all called out cheerfully as they waved. "Hi Chloe!"

" _Hmph_!" Chloe replied haughtily.

"Hey guys," Nathaniel smiled sweetly. It was so disgustingly sweet and nice that Chloe decided she would quite like to smack it off. No one should look so sweet just by _smiling_! Especially a boy who likes to torture girls by making her stand in ridiculous poses for hours on end. "What are you guys up to?"

"There's a paintball war going on at the park today," Max grinned, "much better than some dumb beauty contest the girls had and today, with the help of my lovely foot soldiers," Rose and Juleka immediately saluted at that, "I'm going to win!"

"We're yours to command," Rose said cheerfully, "sir, general, sir!"

"I love Little Soldier Day," Max said blissfully, "totally make up for all the carrying I had to do on Princess Day."

"I'm finding it harder to enjoy my day," Nathaniel confessed sheepishly and Chloe felt a stab of fury swell up inside at that. He was making her suffer and _he wasn't even enjoying it_?! The nerve of him! Then what the hell was the whole point of this?! "One day is not enough when someone makes your life a misery every day."

"Understandable," Juleka mumbled.

"You'll need a million Little Soldier Days to make up for the last few years," Max agreed with a sage nod, "but what can you do? There's only one day the Mayor is going to allow."

" _What the hell is that supposed to mean_?!" Chloe hissed furiously. "I don't make people's lives a misery." Much to her irritation all of her classmates snorted at that. "I _don't!_ I can't help it that people resent how pretty and rich and – wait," she interrupted herself when something clicked in her mind, "there's going to be **A WHAT** in the park?!" she shrieked.

"A paintball war," Max rolled his eyes, "why do you think we're armed and dangerous?"

At this Max, Rose, and Juleka all lifted up their paint guns and Chloe actually really looked at them for the first time they appeared. They were all dressed in ridiculous camouflaged clothes and Rose even went as far as putting disgusting black paint marks on her cheek and a stupid clichéd bandana round her head.

"Armed," Chloe conceded coldly, "but hardly _dangerous_. You all look ridiculous."

"No one asked you," Juleka glared, "now if you excuse us we have a war to win for Max."

"Yeah!" Rose agreed hotly….and then she smiled sweetly at Nathaniel. "See you on Monday Nate!"

"Bye guys," Nathaniel lifted up a hand, "have fun and good luck."

"You too," Max nodded, "you'll need it with _her_."

Chloe spluttered furiously at that.

"Bye Nathaniel!"

"URGH!" Chloe shrieked loudly as soon as Max, Rose, and Juleka disappeared further into the park. "We have got to get out of here!" she said imperiously. "I cannot be caught up in the middle of a _paintball war_ ," she sneered at the thought of people shooting something as icky as paint at one another. How ridiculously childish. "I'll never get the stains out of my clothes! These are designer you know? They shouldn't be dirtied with inferior quality paint. And my _hair!_ Do you know how long it takes, how much effort it takes, to make this glossy and silky? The paint will ruin my hair! We ought to go. Right now! This very second!" Nathaniel ignored her as he went back to his sketch. " _Did you hear me_?!" Chloe snarled. "I said we got to go _right now_!"

"You know I just need you to stand in that pose," Nathaniel said quietly as he looked up at her with a piercing stare that made her feel awfully naked to him. "I don't need you to be immaculately clean and I certainly don't need to see your mouth."

The implied threat of using a gag on her made Chloe snap her mouth shut immediately. The thought that he couldn't care less if she was covered in paint or not made her utterly furious and she shot him her most deadly and murderous glare….but she did keep her mouth shut.

It was this very moment that she decided she _loathed_ Nathaniel Kurtzberg with every fibre of her being.

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Meanwhile Alix's suffering made the twelve labours of Hercules look like a piece of cake.

Kim was totally enjoying, and abusing, Little Soldier Day as he had already forced Alix to do his laundry, clean his room, and do his own household chores like take out the rubbish. It was exhausting and absolutely disgusting because Kim was an utter pig that never cleaned up after himself.

He then made her make him lunch and was particularly picky (he sent back her sandwich three times, first because it was the wrong meat filling, the second time because it didn't have any mustard in it, and the third time because it had the crust still on, at this point she knew he was just messing with her) about what he should eat and now, when she finally had a moment to sit down and breath, he suddenly plonked his feet into her lap.

" _What are you doing_?!" she hissed as she glowered down at his revolting feet. His socks were more grey than white and there was a hole by the big toe on his right foot. "Do I look like a foot rest to you?!"

"No," Kim grinned dumbly as he put his arms behind his head, "but I distinctly recall having to give you a foot rub on Princess Day and now," his grin turned into a smug smirk that made her want to punch him in the face, "it's your turn to give me a foot rub. Go on," he wiggled his toes, "take my socks off and pamper my feet."

Alix grimaced as she reluctantly obeyed her new command (after all fair is fair) and immediately gagged as the smell of Kim's feet reached her nose. " _Oh my God_!" she gasped as she clutched her nose. She then gagged all over again as she took in the disgusting state of Kim's feet. " _What did you do to yourself_?!"

Athlete foot was the least of his worries and what the hell was _that one his big toe nail_?!

"What?" Kim asked obliviously. "They're just feet. Don't be such a girl all of a sudden Alix," he rolled his eyes, "you're made of sterner stuff than that. Now c'mon," he wiggled his toes again and Alix gagged once more, "make me feel good with your hands."

" _Urgh_!" Alix groaned as she swallowed back a load of bile that had suddenly rise in her throat. "One moment," she said as she fumbled for her phone, "there's one thing I need to do."

And then she took a picture of his feet and began to compile a message to all of their friends. If she had to suffer this then whole damn world could suffer alongside with her. She was not going through this alone!

"What the hell?!" Kim yelped at the flash. " _What are you doing_?!" he demanded as he moved his feet out of her lap and scrambled to snatch her phone. Unfortunately for him Alix has always been quicker and she immediately leaped off of the sofa and ducked out of his way as she started to add contacts to her send list. "You're sending that out to _everyone_?!"

"Just our friends."

"Dude, that's _**not**_ cool!" Kim cried out as dark splotches of embarrassment appeared on his cheeks. "That's exactly what Chloe did."

"No it _isn't_!" Alix protested indignantly. "What Chloe did was humiliate you all over social media when you tried to make a love declaration." Which quite honestly, if you ask Alix, served Kim right. You had to be a shallow, shallow, man to love Chloe. She might be pretty but there was nothing else nice about her. "What I'm doing is shaming you into better foot hygiene."

And with that she pressed the send button triumphantly.

Kim's phone buzzed with the photo message and he scowled sulkily at that as he crossed his arms childishly. " _Fine_!" he huffed as he threw himself back down on the sofa. An apology was almost on the tip of Alix's tongue when suddenly a triumphant smir flickered across his face. "But for that then, you can clip my toe nails."

Alix gagged.

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Marinette had started to take turns between feeding Chat Noir and feeding herself. It was currently her turn to nibble on a particularly tasty pastry when her phone suddenly beeped with a text message.

Without giving it a second though, Marinette picked her phone up and opened the photo message from Alix.

And then promptly gagged on her pastry.

" _Oh my God_!" she shrieked as she hastily averted her eyes. "That's _revolting_! And _disgusting_!" she then dropped her pastry on the arm of the sofa as she suddenly lost her appetite. "I'll never look at feet the same way again!" she declared. " _Gah_!" she shuddered.

Chat Noir blinked his pretty, big, green eyes bewilder at her. "What?" he asked worriedly. "What is it?" he then reached up for her phone to see for himself but Marinette quickly snatched her hand away.

"No you don't want to see it!" she said. "Trust me on that one, Kitty, you _really don't_ want to see it. You'll never want to eat again." which was a pity because there was still so many lovely pasties and sandwiches and quiches and cakes to eat. Marinette mourned the loss of her appetite but Kim's feet was still very much on her mind. "You're lucky you're not friends with any of my friends," she informed Chat who still looked concerned, "a friend of mine, Alix, has just sent a horrible picture of another's friend's feet."

Chat blanched at that. "I think you're right, Princess," he said, "I don't want to see it. Can I have another sandwich?"

At least someone was still hungry. Marinette happily picked up another sandwich and held it over Chat Noir's lips when her phone went off again.

This time though it was Alya calling and Marinette wasted no time to answer the phone.

"Alya!" she exclaimed cheerfully. "Hi!"

"Did you see the nasty pic Alix just sent?" Alya asked without saying hello back. "What the hell is going on in that girl's mind?"

"That if she has to suffer, we all do too?" Marinette suggested knowingly. "Her timing was _dreadfu_ l. I was eating lunch!"

"Urgh!" Alya groaned, "My sympathies, girl."

"So how is things going with Nino?" Marinette asked. "Has he dragged you through every music shop in Paris ye- _eek_!" she squeaked.

Chat had gobbled up the whole sandwich now and his soft, kissable, lips had just brushed against the tips of her fingers. She felt her cheeks burn at his touch as she scowled down at him. Chat looked up with a deceptively sweet innocence as he mouthed ' _can I have another sandwich_?'.

"Marinette?" Alya said worriedly. "Are you all right? You didn't trip over something again, did you?"

 _The faith her friends had in her_! "No, no," Marinette shook her head rapidly, "I'm all right I just- _ah_!" she cut herself off with another squeak as this time Chat Noir deliberately licked her fingers to eat the crumbs he had left there. " _Chat_!" she hissed furiously. "Not now! _I'm on the phone_!"

"Wait!" Alya said excitedly. "Is Chat Noir there?!"

"Y-y-yeah!" Marinette stammered as she felt Chat's lips brush against her fingers again. "He spent the whole day with me on Princess Day. It was only fair I return the favour."

" _Oh my God_!" Alya cried out. "Can I come over an interview him?! I wanted to ask about the last few ak-"

"No!" Nino called out.

" _What_?!" Alya said furiously. "Oh come on Nino we have been to ten shops already and I brought you lunch! Let me interview Chat Noir and we could-"

"Nope," Nino interrupted, "my day, my rules, and there's no Ladybug and Chat Noir stuff today."

"But it is my sacred duty to let the public know everything and anything about our superheroes!"

Marinette bit down on her lip to prevent another startled squeak as she felt Chat Noir pull one of her fingers into his mouth to suck off whatever crumbs he seemed to believe were still on her fingers.

"Well today it is your sacred duty to do whatever _I_ tell you to do," Nino argued, "and what I'm telling you to do is too hang up and check out this CD."

"This is so unfair!" Alya snapped. "I didn't get to tell you what to do on Princess Day!"

Marinette was pretty sure her head was going to explode as she felt Chat Noir tug a second finger into his mouth. " _Stop it!"_ she hissed.

Chat just blinked innocently at her…

…but he didn't remove her fingers from his mouth and she was pretty sure that she was now suffering a heart attack.

"Not my fault you're not an only child, babe," Marinette could practically hear Nino shrug at that, "If I had little siblings too I'm sure we'd be stuck babysitting but I don't, so we're exploring the music shops of Paris."

"Wouldn't rather go to Marinette's?" Alya changed tactics and used her most persuasive voice. "There's plenty of cakes and pasties and that you can eat to your heart's content."

There was now three fingers in Chat's mouth and Marinette couldn't cope anymore. "Alya, just let Nino do what he wants I'm sure there'll be other opportunities to talk to Chat," she blurted out quickly, "now I have to go, Chat Noir is being impatient about his lunch. Bye!" she then quickly hung up before Alya could protest and dropped her phone before she yanked her fingers out of Chat Noir's mouth with an audible **pop.** " _I can't believe you_!" she hissed as she wiped her fingers against her shirt. "There was nothing to stop you from sitting up and picking up your own food if you were really that impatient!"

"But _Princess_!" Chat Noir whined. "It's not as fun as having you do it."

The sincerity of that embarrassed her further as her heart fluttered and her stomach somersaulted but Marinette was going to remain firm on this. "I was on the phone to Alya!" she said sternly. "You could have waited five minutes."

"No," Chat said softly, "I couldn't."

Lost for words, her body betraying her with its blushing and fluttery hearts and somersaulting stomachs and racing pulses, and completely confused with her embarrassed and cross and flattered and excited feelings, Marinette simply picked up another sandwich and shoved it in Chat Noir's mouth.

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Jean Paul loved paintballing.

He always had since his father took him when he was five years old and it had become a regular thing at the weekend. Jean Paul's hobby was paintballing and he knew all the tactics in order to win. He has, after all, been the under-twelve's champion and he was definitely going to be this tournament's champion as well.

His friends and classmates were all here too and today, so far, had been great fun. And then suddenly his teammates disappeared, and he was alone. He heard Jerome, his right-hand man today, cry out, and ran to his rescue when suddenly he was surrounded by his friends and classmates – even his _teammates_! – and was shot at repeatedly by all of them.

"God," he heard the most popular boy sneer, "You're such a _loser!_ You should have seen your face!"

The rest of his so called friends laughed cruelly.

Betrayed, hurt, and humiliated Jean Paul pushed past them and ran towards the park's exist. Much to his everlasting frustration he could feel tears prick at the corner of his eyes like he was some big baby.

Het let out a strangled sob.

And that was when he heard the voice.

"Betrayed and humiliated by your so called friends," the dark, sinister, yet velvety persuasive voice drawled in his ear, "I can understand that. You deserve to hurt them back. Show them who the true winner of this game is."

"Yes," Jean Paul mumbled in agreement, "I should."

"Let me help you," the voice murmured persuasively, "I can give you the ability to humiliate them all the same way they did you but in return I need you to fetch me some prizes of my own." Jean Paul could suddenly see a vivid pair of red earrings with black spots on them and a black ring with a neon green paw in his mind's eye. It was the eeriest experience of his life. "Do we have a deal?"

" _Yes_!" Jean Paul hissed desperately. "We have a deal.

"Then go make your mark on the world and bring back what is mine," the voice commanded, " _War Paint_."

And then everything Jean Paul knew disappeared in a puff of dark, purple, smoke.


	4. Chapter 4

They had taken a break from eating before they caused a stomach ache and had settled back to watching TV.

Not that Marinette really knew what it was she was watching because all she could think about was the warmth in her lap that was Chat Noir's head, and the silky feel of his lovely hair against her fingers, and the tingle on her knees every time Chat Noir breathed out against them.

It was incredibly distracting.

"We interrupt this program," a mechanical voice echoed from the TV as the rerun of….whatever it was they were watching suddenly switched to the noise, "to bring you a special new bulletin."

And then the screen suddenly switched to Nadja Chamack as she shuffled her papers like all new journalist seemed to do for some reason. "An Akuma known as War Paint has attacked a local park today," she said solemnly and immediately Chat sat up and both he and Marinette scrambled to their feet. "The cause of this Akuma is unknown but he has been reported to be armed and dangerous. The police has advised everyone to avoid the park until further notice. Meanwhile-"

"I have to go," Chat said apologetically as he fumbled for his baton, "My Lady will need me."

"I know," Marinette said understandingly, "you will come back though, right?" she asked anxiously. She didn't want her day to end on this note. She wasn't quite ready to give up on her time with her partner and best friend. "After the Akuma battle I mean," she added hastily, "To celebrate your victory." She waved at all the food they still have yet to eat. "I'm going to need help with all of this."

"Of course," Chat grinned, "I would be _fur_ -rilled to come back and spend the rest of the day with you."

Marinette rolled her eyes at that. "Oh go and save the day," she dismissed him with a light whack on his shoulder.

He snatched her hand up and with a deliberate slowness that made Marinette's breath catch in her throat and her heart momentarily freeze, he pulled her hand to his mouth. His lips barely brushing against her skin.

"I save the day," he promised softly and sincerely, "and then I will come back to you."

And with that, he threw himself out of the window and extended his baton on time to swing himself to the rooftop opposite Marinette's home. Marinette couldn't prevent the dreamy sigh escaping her lips as she watched him leave.

(And she most certainly did _**not**_ admire how the back leather encased his arse while she did that! Nope. No. Nuh-huh….)

"Marinette?" Tiki prompted her. "The Akuma?"

"Oh right!" Marinette jumped as she remembered that she was Ladybug and was needed in action. She laughed sheepishly under Tiki's mildly chiding stare. "Tiki," she said, a sheepish smile still on her face, " _Transform me_!"

And with that Ladybug leaped out of the Dupain-Cheng apartment window and dashed after Chat Noir to help save the day.

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Nathaniel had dismissed the screaming.

In his defence, he knew there was a paintball war going on and he was so absorbed in his drawing that he hadn't noticed that the screaming wasn't joyful until it was too late. That, and he has a feeling he has become so used to Akumas and people screaming being around him that he no longer has a healthy response.

So when the Akuma appeared in the clearing Nathaniel temporarily froze with shock.

This Akuma looked like a soldier cartoon character dressed in similar camouflage clothes that Max, Rose, and Juleka wore, the black marks on his face were larger and more obvious than the ones Rose had painted on her cheeks. He had matching ones running down his arms and neck as well and his hair had turned splotchy with different paint colours.

To top it off the Akuma was carrying two, over the top, gigantic paint guns that looked utterly _lethal._

"Well what do we have here?" the Akuma smirked. "Two new targets to destroy"

Nathaniel gulped as the Akuma released the safety on his guns and aimed both of them at him as soon as the Akuma's fingers pulled the triggers though, Nathaniel dodged and rolled across the grass. He sighed in relief when he narrowly missed two poisonous, neon, green splodges of paint that actually melted the grass.

Because, you know, there's no such thing as a cuddly, sweet, Akuma that just wants hugs.

The Akuma didn't bother chasing after Nathaniel as he merely turned to face Chloe and pointed his guns at her. Nathaniel bit back the urge to shout at her to move (as he didn't exactly want the Akuma's attention back on to him) while he struggled to get back onto his feet.

The Akuma's fingers pulled the triggers again….and _Chloe still hadn't moved_. The girl whose self-preservation was so keenly sharpened that she usually pushed people down to the ground in her haste to escape Akumas hadn't screamed and run away at the sight of one wielding paint.

The very thing she was terrified of ruining her hair just one hour ago.

Instead she stood there so perfectly still that he could almost believe she was made as stone and didn't so much as flinch at the sight of paint hurling its way through the air towards her.

There was lethal paint that could melt her skin heading right at her and she still wouldn't move.

She. Still. Wouldn't. _**Move**_.

Without even thinking about it, Nathaniel threw himself at Chloe and pushed her down to the ground. They both narrowly avoided the paint and he winced in sympathy as a nearby tree withered away after being splattered with paint.

" _My jeans_!" Chloe wailed. "They're going to be covered in grass stains!"

" _Grass stains_?!" Nathaniel repeated disgustedly. "You were almost hit by some sort of acid paint that would have melted your jeans to your skin and you care more about _grass stains_?!"

"These are designer!"

As if that explained anything whatsoever!

"You almost _died!_ " Nathaniel snapped exasperatedly. "Why the hell didn't you move out of the way?!"

"You told me not to!"

"…what?" Nathaniel said flatly.

"You said," Chloe said huffily as she crossed her arms defensively, "that I had to stay in that stupid pose all day. So that's what I was doing!"

"You…you…you…." Disbelief was choking Nathaniel as he suddenly reached out and grabbed Chloe's shoulders and then shook her hard. He wanted to shake her so hard that actual common sense and logic would switch back on in that silly, idiotic, brain of hers. " _You stupid, foolish, nonsensical airhead_!" he yelled. "I wouldn't want you to die for the sake of my painting. Christ sake woman! Where the hell did your self-preservation go? Did it join your common sense and intelligence on a very long holiday?!"

"Don't you insult me, peasant!" Chloe shrieked snottily. "I was sacrificing myself for _art_!" she said melodramatically. "That's what muses are supposed to do."

Nathaniel barked out a laugh and it was on the very tip of his tongue to say that she wasn't his muse (though currently, right now, that wasn't technically true, he had drawn her more times than he was comfortable to admit) when he suddenly heard a loud click of the safety of a gun being turned off and his blood ran cold in his veins.

….they had forgotten the Akuma.

Chloe's horrified expression of realisation match his own as they both slowly turned their heads to face the Akuma.

"I'm bored of green now," he informed them, "now I think I'll try some blue."

Seeing as the green paint acted like some sort of acid, Nathaniel really didn't want to know what the blue paint did.

The Akuma pointed his guns at them and before Nathaniel could think of moving, a bright blue blur sped towards them, getting closer and closer and closer and –

Chat Noir leaped in the way and batted the blue paint back at the Akuma with one swift wave of his baton. The bright blue splattered on the Akuma's leg and immediately bolts of electricity raced up it causing the Akuma to buckle and scream.

"Wow," Chat whistled, impressed, "is that why they call it _electric blue_?"

Chloe let out a small groan of disgust while Nathaniel just stared at the black leather clad superhero blankly.

He couldn't help but wonder if Chat Noir had been with Marinette, and then, if Chat had been with Marinette, he hoped desperately that Chat Noir left her at home where it was safe.

" _You!_ " the Akuma spat out. "You have something that belongs to Hawk Moth."

"Erm, no," Chat blinked, "I don't. The Miraculous doesn't belong to him."

"It will," the Akuma promised as he aimed his guns at Chat Noir, "I will get my prize one way or the other. I am _War Paint_ the greatest paintballing champion ever!"

And with that he shot two blobs of blue paint at Chat Noir.

But they never reached him as a red and black blur leaped between them and with an impressive force as she spun her yoyo round and round, Ladybug used her yoyo as a shield to make the blue paint hit other parts of the park.

"Impeccable timing as ever, My Lady," Chat grinned, "but however did you give the fumbling squire the slip?"

Ladybug's eyes sparkled with mirth. "I didn't have to give him the slip," she replied, "he had to leave me for something else."

"How stupid of him!" Chat scowled. "If I was to have a day in your company then I would never leave it."

That only served to amuse Ladybug further for some reason as she smiled flirtatiously at Chat. "He had something more important to do," she defended her mysterious boy, "and," she tacked on as Chat opened his mouth to say something (probably along the lines of how nothing was more than important than Ladybug which made Nathaniel worry about Marinette since he strongly suspected Chat had spent his time with her before coming to their rescue), " _we_ have something more important to do too."

"Yes me!" Chloe squealed delightedly. "Ladybug! My hero! You just saved me from a fate worse than death! My clothes were going to be covered in pain!"

Nathaniel twitched irritably at that. Here he had risked his life to rescue Chloe from her own stupidity, and what did he get? Her screaming in his face about _grass stains_ of all things! And then Ladybug comes along to rescue Chat Noir and Chloe fawns all over as if she had personally carried Chloe and all of her ridiculously expensive designer clothes out of a burning building.

Fortunately Ladybug seemed just as irritated by Chloe as Nathaniel was and barely acknowledged the blonde as she met Nathaniel's eyes. "You should leave," she said as worry and concern marred her face, "this is going to get ugly and fast. It's not safe. Make sure she leaves too," she nodded towards Chloe.

"Y-y-y-yes," Nathaniel stammered, "thank you Ladybug, and you too Chat Noir."

Chat saluted in reply and Nathaniel grabbed hold of Chloe's arm as he tried to haul her away. " _Get off of me_!" Chloe snapped as she yanked her arm away. "I want to watch my best friend Ladybug to avenge me and my clothes."

" _Chloe_!" Nathaniel hissed between gritted teeth. "It's not _safe_! Ladybug wants you to leave for your own safety!"

"But I want to see the Akuma battle!" Chloe whined childishly. "That annoying Alya isn't here to record it. I can totally hold this over her head and make her beg for an interview."

Nathaniel grinded his teeth as he resisted the urge to shake Chloe again. Obviously it did nothing but scramble her brain even more because every word that came out of her mouth was completely stupid.

"Did no one ever tell you?" he said more calmly than he felt. "I wants never get."

And with that he used every ounce of his strength to drag away a kicking and screaming Chloe.

They didn't get very far.

Mainly because Chloe was using every ounce of her strength to dig her heels in and fight Nathaniel...and unfortunately she was in fact a great deal stronger than her. It was also because they had to duck, dodge, and avoid any stray paint bullets that the Akuma either shot at them or Ladybug and Chat Noir accidently deflected their way.

In the end Nathaniel was barely able to push Chloe behind a bush that wasn't really all that safe considering the Akuma was now firing red pellets that burst into flames.

"My Lady!" Chat Noir cried out. "I think it's one of the paint guns that's the possessed item!"

"So do I," Ladybug agreed grimly, "the question is, which one?" she threw her yoyo up in their air. "LUCKY CHARM!"

Two paintball guns landed neatly in Ladybug's arms. One was black and covered in little neon green paws and the other was the customary red and black polka dotted colour that Ladybug's Lucky Charms usually took.

Ladybug blinked, utterly baffled, and then suddenly smirked victoriously as she passed the black one to Chat Noir.

"YES!" Chat yelled, utterly thrilled as he pumped a fist in his hand, "this is going to be so _Pawesome_!"

Nathaniel would have agreed but Chloe chose that exact moment to realise there was a snail right by her face and screamed.

Which, of course, drew the Akuma's attention back to them and Nathaniel had to dodge several more lethal paintballs.

Life sucked when you had no superpowers.

MLBMLBMLBMLBMLBMLBMLB

This had to be the coolest Akuma battle they ever had.

It took some time and a little self-sacrificing but Chat Noir and Ladybug were able to divert War Paint's attention back from Nathaniel and Chloe back to them. Which, thankfully, allowed Nathaniel to finally haul a kicking and screaming Chloe over his shoulder and run off to safety and allowing the superheroes o actually do their jobs without distraction.

Since then Chat had ducked, dodged, and dived out of the way of some serious lethal paintballs that could do some serious harm while firing off some of his own back. Ladybug did the same and with their usual team work they were able to avoid hitting each other with their paintballs.

"Chat!" Ladybug called out. "It's the right one! We need to destroy the right one!"

"Gotcha!" Chat replied as he cocked his gun up and released the safety. "You know I always wanted to shoot someone in paintball just so I can watch them _dye_."

" _Oh my God_!" Ladybug said disgustedly as she flipped backwards to avoid another acid green paintball. "Can you just _**not**_ when our lives are in danger?"

She then levelled her gun up and blasted off several red paint balls that hit their target perfectly as War Paint howled in fury. His eyes now covered in crimson red paint which caused him to drop both guns as he moved to wipe the paint away.

Chat pulled the trigger at the same time he cried out; "CATACLYSM!"

Much to his never-ending delight the black paintball that splattered over both guns sparked up like his actual powers and immediately reduced both guns to ash as a purple butterfly escaped.

"Oh no you don't!" Ladybug said determinedly as she flung her yoyo out and caught the butterfly. "No more evil doing for you little Akuma. Time to de-evilize." Her compact soon opened up again to release a pure white butterfly free. "Bye, bye, little butterfly" she called out sweetly as she waved before she bent her knees slightly for her next trick. "MIRACULOUS LADYBUG!" She bellowed as she flung her yoyo up in the air.

The usual burst of ladybugs appeared and Chat was in awe all over again as he watched the trees and bushes and other plants returned back to full life once more. To top it off, everything was clean again and completely paint free. It was truly miraculous.

With matching, victorious, grins Ladybug and Chat Noir bumped their fists against one another. "Mission Accomplished!" they chanted in unison.

"Wh…wh…wh…" a timid voice chirped. "What happened?"

A small boy was left sitting on his knees as he cradled his newly mended paint gun to his chest. Chat Noir winced at how young he looked, no older than eleven, and felt another stab of hatred for Hawk Moth.

Ladybug looked just as pained as she took in the young boy too.

"It's going to be all right," she said reassuringly, "you got Akumanised but it's over now and no one is hurt."

"Yeah," the boy mumbled as he stared up at her in awe, "…thank you."

"You're welcome," Ladybug said softly as he ruffled the boy's hair, "You're really good at paintballing and I bet those kids that covered you in paint were all just jealous because of that. So don't let them get you down again, yeah?"

"I won't!" the boy promised as his eyes sparkled with joy. "Ladybug thinks I'm good at paintballing!" he said himself, looking utterly thrilled.

It was then when Ladybug's earrings let out their first warning beep. "I have to go," she said regretfully, "but you take care of yourself and show everyone that they can't get you down."

"I will!" the boy promised.

And with a cheery, reassuring, thumbs up at the little boy and a flirty wink at Chat Noir, Ladybug flung her yoyo in the air and zipped away into the sunset (so to speak, it was still early afternoon).

Chat Noir's ring also let out its first warning beep and he was admittedly impressed that Plagg was holding out this long.

"I've gotta go too, Kid," he said, "but you keep being _pawsome_ and show all those kids who the real champ is."

And with that he extended his baton and flung himself up in the air.

It took him a split second to make the decision between hiding in an alleyway and waiting for Plagg to recharge or to go directly to Marinette's and hiding in her bathroom with another Cheese Danish. He chose Marinette's without a second thought, partly because it was safer, and partly because he just wanted to go back to his day with her.

So without a second thought he flung his way across the city and back to the Dupain-Cheng bakery.

…and immediately crashed into Ladybug on Marinette's balcony.

"Chat Noir!" she gasped.

" _Ladybug_?!" he cried out. "What are you doing here?!" they both asked in unison.

"Me?" Chat said indignantly. "I have been here all day before the Akuma attacked! I was actually invited by the Princess herself!"

"Yes!" Ladybug said flustered. "Of course, but you just used _Cataclysm_!" she said shrilly. "You're about to de-transform! Shouldn't you have re-charged _first_ and then come back?!"

"I was going to hide in the bathroom! My Kwami likes the Cheese Danishes here and I'm expected." Chat snapped defensively. "The better question is why are _you_ here?! You're about to de-transform too!"

"Erm, ah, yes," Ladybug stuttered as she wrung her hands nervously, "I…err…check in here sometimes, yeah," she nodded, "my Kwami likes the cookies here. Marinette lets me hide and charge up in her bathroom sometimes. Yep," she laughed anxiously, "that why I am here without being invited."

"Really?" For some reason Chat Noir couldn't help but be suspicious about this. Ladybug never lied to him but there was something about this that didn't quite ring true to him. "Then we can go in together and say hello to Marinette before we re-charge."

"Wait, _what?_!" Ladybug said alarmed. "No! We can't!"

Chat Noir stepped towards Marinette's trap door only to have Ladybug stumble into his way. He tried to side-step her but she stepped back into his way. Each step he took closer to the trapdoor, Ladybug stepped back in time of him as she bobbed and weaved before him, blocking his every movement until the back of her foot slipped at the trapdoor and she fell back with big, wide, blue eyes flashing in surprise and her mouth dropped open into an astonished 'O'.

Chat reacted instinctively and reached out for her but for once his reflexes were too slow and his fingertips barely brushed against hers as she slipped away into a bright, pale, reddish-white light…

…And the girl behind the mask lands on Marinette's bed with a soft _thump_.

Chat Noir watches from the ledge of the trapdoor, frozen with shock, as a little red and black spotted Kwami zips out of Ladybug's earrings and heads straight towards Marinette's desk drawer for some cookies. His own, startled, green eyes slowly meet the wide, horrified, blue eyes of the girl he had so wanted to know for so long now…

"…Bollocks," Marinette cursed.


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note:** Thank you all for the reviews, favourites, and follows. I'm glad you enjoyed the fic so far and I hope you continue to enjoy this final chapter.

" _Marinette_?!"

Chat Noir looked like a deer caught in headlights he was so startled. His luminous green eyes were wide and his mouth was dropped open ever so slightly, he then started to blink repeatedly as if he couldn't believe his own eyes. Marinette swallowed as dread flooded her stomach. All of her fears rushed back to her – would he be disappointed? Would he hate her? Would he wish Ladybug was someone, anyone, else but her? – when Chat Noir's shock suddenly melted away into a smile of pure joy.

"Marinette," he repeated in awe, "it's _you!_ "

"Erm yeah," Marinette laughed nervously. "Erm, ah, err… hi?" she offered weakly.

Chat blinked once more and then smirked before he lunged down and landed on her bed. His knees caged her hips as his hands landed on her mattress just above her shoulders and so very close to her face. Marinette felt her face heat up as he brought his own so very close to hers. So close, that she could feel his breath against her lips as he exhaled happily.

"Hello _Princess_ ," he purred out. "So I'm a fumbling squire, am I?"

"W-w-w-what?!" Marinette stammered out.

"You called me a fumbling squire," Chat pouted childishly, "when we've been discussing what Ladybug has been up to."

"No I haven't!" Marinette protested. "You've been calling yourself a fumbling squire!"

"But you didn't correct me, did you?" Chat pointed out. "You didn't tell me that you were really being served by a dashing, handsome, rogue of a knight."

Marinette raised an unimpressed eyebrow at this. "Really, Kitty?" she deadpanned. " _Really_?"

"Yes!" Chat insisted. " _Really_!"

 _Beep, beep! Beep, beep!_

Marinette jumped at the sound of Chat's ring beeping in her ear and she was immediately reminded that he was on the verge of de-transforming and panic began to rise up. "D-d-do you want to go to the bathroom and I'll fetch you some cheese?" she offered nervously.

"No," Chat said softly, "I know who you are. It's only fair if you know who I am."

"You don't have too," Marinette said timidly, "I don't mind if you want to keep it a secret a little longer until you're used to….well….this," she gestured towards herself.

"I'm already used to it," Chat said firmly, "it makes sense to me that the two most amazing girls in my life are in fact one and the same"

Marinette's heart fluttered at that. "Chat," she murmured softly, "I – _mfple_!" she simultaneously squeaked and choked as Chat Noir's transformation wore off and he was covered in a green sparkling light before a tiny black cat flew out of his ring and there, pinning her to her bed, leaning all over her, was no other than….

…..Adrien Agreste.

And within that moment Marinette's brain died a literal death as her heart stopped, her breath stuck to her throat, and her eyes widened so far she was sure her eyes will pop out unattractively and roll down her mattress.

It wasn't because it shocked her that much that Adrien, the boy she had been crushing on forever, and Chat Noir, the boy she had started to have feeling for were one and the same.

(Though it did totally shock her.)

It wasn't because this gorgeous, wonderful boy, was pinning her to her bed.

(Though that really didn't help matters.)

And it wasn't because there was now a flying, miniature, black cat in her bedroom.

(She was far too used to weird things like that nowadays.)

No, it was none of those reasons why Marinette's brain suddenly lost all ability to compute or why her insides had completely melted to useless gloop.

The real reason why she had suddenly become so gormless, as she took in Adrien's perfectly carved features and soulful green eyes and silky blonde hair, was because she suddenly remembered what happened when they were sitting on the sofa downstairs earlier.

When she had his head resting on her lap as she petted him and fed him as if he was some sort of Roman Emperor and cat rolled up into one, when Alya phoned her and distracted her from her 'duties', and when, out of sheer impatience and cheek, he had begun to _lick and then suck on her fingers._

OH MY GOD! _**ADRIEN AGRESTE**_ HAD SUCKED ON HER FINGERS!

Marinette internally screamed.

She was pretty sure this was what a mental breakdown was like.

"Marinette?" Adrien asked worriedly as he gently shook her. "Marinette, are you all right? You've gone really quiet." He shook her a little harder at this. " _Marinette_?!" he cried out panicked.

"Oh!" Marinette managed to gasp out. " _Oh!_ " she repeated when words failed. "Oh! This is really unfair!" she complained.

Confusion flickered across Adrien's face along with something rather vulnerable and hurt. "What's not fair?" he asked fearfully.

"That you have made me fall for your twice now!"

That beautiful smile of pure joy reappeared again. "Oh, I don't know Princess," he murmured huskily, "I think it's really unfair for me. After all you make me fall for you every day."

Marinette's breath caught in her throat as she moved he mouth wordlessly. Her brain blanked out all over again and she wondered if she would ever be able to form a coherent thought again.

Adrien suddenly leaned in closer as he pushed Marinette's hair out of her face and gently tucked it behind her ear.

Yep, she was definitely never going to be able to form a coherent thought ever again.

And then, for one wild, insane, moment she thought he was going to kiss her. He leaned in so close that she could feel his warm breath tickle against her face while he looked at her questioningly. She tilted her head to the side in reply and as he leaned down she pushed up to meet him halfway when –

"Oi lovebirds!" the black cat Kwami suddenly yelled which caused Marinette to yelp in shock and Adrien to jump back. Adrien then, unluckily, lost his balance and fell onto the floor with a loud _thud_. "Smooch later, I need my cheese if I'm to make it for the next Akuma attack!"

" _Plagg_!" Tiki cried out exasperated. "Couldn't you see they were having a _moment_?! You could have waited five minutes more for your blessed cheese!"

" _Please,_ " Plagg rolled his eyes, "they're young. They have hundreds of _moments_ ," he said mockingly, "to look forwards to. I, however, only have minutes left to spare before I die of starvation."

Adrien and Tiki both rolled their eyes at that but it was pretty much silently agreed among all three of them that they better feed Plagg now before they ended up strangling him.

And on that note Marinette left her room hand in hand with Adrien feeling brighter and happier than ever before.

MLBMLBMLBMLBMLBMLBMLB

Adrien has never been as happy as he was now.

Once they got Plagg settled with the last of the Cheese Danishes, Adrien and Marinette happily helped themselves to the rest of the food (and Tiki to whatever sweet pastry she could get her hands on) and settled down to watch an anime of Adrien's choosing. The rest of the afternoon was spent feeling very fat and full, and so very blissfully _happy_.

With Marinette neatly tucked under his arm, Adrien found the whole watching anime experience was vastly better when there was a soft, cuddly, girl snuggling against your chest and letting you nuzzle your nose against her flower scented hair.

He was rather convinced that he might have died and gone to heaven somewhere between defeating the Akuma and arriving on Marinette's balcony because there was nothing that could compare to how heavenly this felt.

Then the door suddenly banged open and Plagg and Tiki quickly ducked beneath a cushion as a frustrated Alya and Nino stormed in. "Tell me Chat Noir is still here!" Alya said loudly as she marched across the living room. "Nino wouldn't let me go and film the Akuma attack at the park and I need to know what happened for my bl- _Adrien_?!" she interrupted herself bewilderedly. "What are you doing here? Where's Chat Noir?"

"Hey dude," Nino greeted him with a nod, "Marinette," he nodded to Marinette next, "could you tell your impossibly stubborn best friend that the whole point of Little Soldier Day is that she does what I say without complaint and that the world isn't going to suddenly end if she misses one Akuma attack."

"As I have told you before, Nino," Alya said irritably, "it is my duty as an investigative journalist to report everything that is going on accurately as possible even if it means sacrificing a personal life in order to witness important events."

"Babe, I think you're awesome, I really do, but that's just plain _nuts_ ," Nino said exasperated, "you can be both an excellent journalist and have a life of your own, and more importantly one where you don't get splattered by paint that could melt you or electrocute you or _set you on fire_. I did you a favour."

" _You did not_!" Alya shrieked. "Because now I have even missed a chance to interview Chat Noir about it because you just had to argue with that shop assistant about the price of that album."

"It's called _haggling_!" Nino snapped defensively. "And – wait," he turned abruptly to stare at Adrien and Marinette with big, wide, eyes, " _what are you two doing_?!" he yelped.

"Erm," Adrien moved his free hand to scratch the back of his head sheepishly, "cuddling?" he offered weakly.

Alya's jaw dropped open unattractively. " _What_?!" she squeaked. "When did this happen?! Why are you here?! Whatever happened to Chat Noir?!"

"Well, erm, you see," Marinette said nervously, "Chat had to go because of the Akuma attack and….well he didn't come back."

"He didn't?!" Alya said disbelievingly. "But he seemed to enjoy spending time with you."

"Yeah, well it's his day, and I think Ladybug wanted to do something with him," Marinette said hastily, "I can't fault him for that. He deserves to have a good time with her." she glanced up at Adrien questioningly.

"Oh," he murmured as he rubbed reassuring circles on her arm, "he's _definitely_ having a good time with his Lady."

Marinette appeared to have melted at that as she beamed radiantly up at him. Adrien's heart burned with a fierce joy and pride he didn't know he was capable of.

"So, ah, yeah," Marinette snapped back to Alya as she realised belatedly (and after a pointed cough from Alya) that she and Nino were still in the room with them, "I still had a load of food spare and Adrien called looking for somewhere to escape, and well, one thing led to another and…"

"So," Nino blinked, "are you two a couple now or what?"

Marinette glanced up at him nervously and bit down on her lip which did nothing to help Adrien's own nerves as he now had to struggle with the urge to taste her bottom lip too. Adrien tilted his head at her questioningly and she widened her eyes appealingly.

"I…erm…don't know," Adrien mumbled, "I would like to though…if you wanted to!" he added hastily and loudly.

" _Yes!_ " Marinette squeaked as she turned bright red. "I would like that! If you wanted to!"

"I do!"

"Then so do I!"

"So, erm, then it's settled," Adrien laughed, "we're a couple."

"Yes," Marinette agreed breathlessly, "we're a couple."

"Yeah, a couple of _idiots_ ," Adrien heard Plagg mutter darkly and then a light smacking noise, " _Ow! Tiki_!"

Fortunately though, Alya and Nino were completely oblivious to Plagg as Alya was busy congratulating Marinette and Nino was helping himself to a bit of quiche. The rest of the day ended with them chilling out in the Dupain-Cheng living room together until it was time for them to all go home.

Once Alya and Nino were definitely gone, Adrien transformed back to Chat Noir so he could sneak his way back into the mansion and turned to say goodbye to Marinette when she suddenly flung her arms round his neck and made him stagger back a few steps.

He chuckled delightedly as he wrapped his arms round her waist and relished the fact he was finally holding the girl of his dreams.

"I hope today was good for you," Marinette mumbled against his neck. He shivered in response as her soft lips ticked a sensitive spot "That you enjoyed it despite the Akuma attack."

"The Akuma attack was surprisingly fun today," Chat grinned wickedly at the memory, "We got to play with paintball guns after all!"

He could virtually feel Marinette roll her eyes at that. " _Boys_ ," she muttered.

He laughed again and squeezed her tight. "It was the best day I have had in a long time," he murmured reassuringly against her hair, "there is only one thing more that could have made it the best day of my life."

"Oh?" Marinette pulled away to look at him questioningly. "And what's that."

"This," he said simply.

And then he kissed her.

MLBMLBMLBMLBMLBMLBMLB

The girls were all in foul moods on Monday morning.

Well, Sabrina was as happy as she always was, and Mylene was annoyingly sweet and cheerful, and Marinette was late to class again, but the rest of the girls were just as miserable as Chloe felt which made her feel a little better about herself.

Her weekend had been _terrible_ after Little Soldier Day.

Just utterly dreadful!

The press hadn't just snapped a photo of Chloe doing that stupid pose, they managed (somehow) to get a photo of Nathaniel dragging her out of the park from the Akuma attack and the gossip columns from the newspapers were all about whether or not the mayor's daughter has found love. _**Urgh**_. Then just to add salt to the wound her father just kept going on and on how much of a _nice boy_ Nathaniel was and he hoped to see more of him in the future.

Any attempt of Chloe trying to tell him that Nathaniel was not her boyfriend just went over his head completely.

So she took great satisfaction that she was not the only one who suffered that weekend. Alya, as she had smugly predicated, was still irritated with Nino for making her miss the Akuma attack while Alix still complained about the state of Kim's toe nails, and Rose and Juleka were covered in bruises.

"What _happened?_!" Mylene cried out horrified. "Were you attacked or something?"

"No," Juleka scowled.

"We helped Max win a paintball tournament," Rose explained, "and you'd think, paint, that's harmless, but let me tell you it _isn't_. It _hurts_!"

"Did I mention how grateful I am?" Max laughed nervously. "You two were an amazing team together."

"My bruises," Juleka informed Max in her usual deadly quiet voice, "have bruises of their own."

"I….well…erm….you both still look pretty?" Max offered weakly.

Juleka and Rose ignored him in favour of comforting each other. Rose had a huge, hideous, bruises on her cheek that Juleka was trying to help her hide as she gently rubbed foundation in soothing little circles on Rose's cheek.

It was then when Marinette finally turned up with, much to Chloe's irritation, Adrien by her side. They both looked animated and ecstatic as they spoke to one another in low voice which did nothing to improve Chloe's mood.

And then she saw they were holding hands.

" _Oh my God_!" Km yelped as he pointed at the hand holding. "What is this? When did that happen? Are you two now _a couple_?!"

Marinette glanced up at Adrien with a sappy smile and, much to Chloe's disgust, Adrien returned it with an equally sappy look of pure affection.

Bile rose up in Chloe's throat.

"Yes," Adrien said in the most sickening lovey-dovey voice known to man, "we got together last Friday."

"We got to spend some time with each other since Princess Day," Marinette continued to explain without being asked, "and one thing led to another and now…"

She trailed off as she and Adrien met in another revolting gaze of adoration of one another. Chloe was going to be sick. She was literally about to vomit on her shoes because this was so utterly _disgusting_.

"So I suppose you can say," Alya said smugly as she shot a victorious smirk in Chloe's direction (she hasn't forgiven Chloe for rubbing it in earlier this morning about how she had been at the Akuma attack while she, Miss I'm Ladybug's Number One Fan Not You, hadn't), "that Chloe helped you two get together."

"Huh," Adrien's face lit up with realisation, "I suppose we can. If it hadn't been for Chloe's idea of Princess Day we would have never had the opportunity to get to know each other properly. Thanks Chlo."

That was the final straw for Chloe.

She grounded her teeth together as hard as she could to stop a furious scream escaping her mouth and immediately stood up. "I need to go to the bathroom!" she hissed as she dug her nails into her hand to fight back the urge to yank one of Marinette Dupain-Cheng's stupid pigtails as she passed by her.

She would just trip the stupid baker's daughter up when her Adri-kins isn't around to witness it.

She pushed past the last of the stragglers in her attempt to get to the bathroom so she could pout in peace. Several people yelped as she knocked them into their lockers and one girl screamed in alarm when Chloe pushed her homework project (one of those stupid volcano things) out of her way and onto the floor, destroying it completely.

She was just about to reach the bathroom when Nathaniel suddenly bumped into her.

"Oh!" he said startled. "I was looking for you."

" _What for_?!" she spat out. "If you didn't get the memo Little Soldier Day has been over for three days now."

"I only wanted to let you know that I finished your painting," Nathaniel said coolly, "but if you're going to act like that I won't bother."

Chloe glowered at him. " _Urgh!_ " she groaned irritably. "Fine! I'm sorry."

"Did you-"

"Don't make me say it again!" Chloe snapped. "Now show me your painting," she commanded. Nathaniel raised an eyebrow in reply and she hastily amended herself; " _Please_ ," she added grudgingly.

"All right," Nathaniel said, "since you asked _so nicely_."

Chloe gritted her teeth at that jab but the snarky retort that was on the tip of her tongue vanished when Nathaniel pulled out the finished work.

It was a burst of vibrant colours.

A Greek pot was place in her hands which would explain the painfully awkward pose she had to keep up for all of those hours and it was filled to the brim with beautiful, bright, blue and green peacock feathers. She, herself, was dressed as a Queen with golden jewellery from head to foot and an elegantly styled Greek dress in white.

"I made you Hera," Nathaniel explained, "Queen of the Gods."

The most fitting role for Chloe, if you ask Chloe.

It was beautiful.

"You spent all that time," Chloe said awed, "drawing that picture of me?"

"No, of course not," Nathaniel snorted, "I had the rough sketch of this done within the first hour. I spent the rest of the afternoon sketching out pictures of the other girls in a similar theme. It's part of my Ancient Greek project. I just wanted to see how long I could make you stand in that ridiculous pose."

A sudden gush of fury, bitterness, irritation, and something as Chloe had no doubt that the others girls would include the likes of _Marinette Dupain-Cheng_ , shot through the blonde as she trembled with the attempt to suppress these annoying feelings.

But her previous annoyance with Marinette and Adrien suddenly getting together did not help and she soon found herself losing her temper completely.

" **ARGH**!"

And that was when an Akuma attacked Chloe for destroying her homework project.

It was once again business as per usual in Paris.


End file.
